Russian Literature (MA)
A.Y. 2020/2021
Learning objectives
This course is designed for students who have followed a three-year cycle of Russian literature and completed three-year Russian language learning. It can be part of a monolingual or bilingual specialization course but can also be chosen for two years in a row. For this reason, the topics dealt with each year present a wide variety of topics, historical periods and critical methodologies more specific and complex compared to those addressed during the three-year course The course stimulates the students to study in depth thematic or critical aspects useful to enrich the study path that each one is following.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding: deepening of complex and articulated historical-literary, critical and methodological issues. Reading and detailed analysis of literary and critical texts in the original language. Applying knowledge and understanding: ability to apply the critical methodologies learned to texts of individual choice. Identification of aspects related to one's own personal path in the works and critical methodologies presented during the course.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course Syllabus and materials
The course Syllabus and materials will not be changed.
Teaching methods.
The lessons will be held in synchrony on the Microsoft Teams platform following the timetable of the first semester with the help of Power point presentations and text files and with the interaction of students and teacher. They will be recorded and left available to students on the same platform or on the Ariel teaching site.
If the health situation will allow it and in compliance with the rules in force, activities in the classroom will be arranged.
Methods for verifying learning and evaluation criteria
The oral exam will take place on the Microsoft Teams platform or, where the regulations allow, in presence.
The course Syllabus and materials will not be changed.
Teaching methods.
The lessons will be held in synchrony on the Microsoft Teams platform following the timetable of the first semester with the help of Power point presentations and text files and with the interaction of students and teacher. They will be recorded and left available to students on the same platform or on the Ariel teaching site.
If the health situation will allow it and in compliance with the rules in force, activities in the classroom will be arranged.
Methods for verifying learning and evaluation criteria
The oral exam will take place on the Microsoft Teams platform or, where the regulations allow, in presence.
Course syllabus
The course is titled "(Il)legality, justice, clemency in Russian literature from the seventeenth to the end of nineteenth century" and is made up of the following three parts: 1. "Illegality, Justice and clemency in Russian literature of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries"; 2. "From old "litigations" to modern processes in Russian literature of the first half of the Nineteenth century"; 3. "Ethical problems and judicial reforms in Russian literature of the second half of the Nineteenth century".
The course provides 6 or 9 ECTS-credits. Students who intend to acquire 6 ECTS will agree with the teacher on a reduced program that includes the essential elements of the three parts.
The course aims to investigate a topic of high interest in every country and in every time, capable of inspiring satirical texts of biting effectiveness and ethical reflections of great depth.
In the first part the theoretical and methodological foundations of the course will be laid, and satirical texts ranging from anonymous pre-Petrine stories to English-style magazines and comedies such as Kapnist's "Jabeda" will be considered. The second part will examine works by V. Nareznyj, A. Pushkin, N. Gogol', and finally Ostrovskij who have highlighted, now with good-natured irony, now with bitterness, all the distortions of the bureaucratic and judicial machinery of the old regime. The final part will follow the more complex reflections carried out on the eve of the liberal reform of 1864 in the work of A. Suchovo-Kobylin "Delo" and, after it, in the works of F. Dostoevskij ("The Karamazov brothers", "Diary of a writer "), L. Tolstoy ("Resurrection "), A. Chekhov, Short stories and Tales.
The course provides 6 or 9 ECTS-credits. Students who intend to acquire 6 ECTS will agree with the teacher on a reduced program that includes the essential elements of the three parts.
The course aims to investigate a topic of high interest in every country and in every time, capable of inspiring satirical texts of biting effectiveness and ethical reflections of great depth.
In the first part the theoretical and methodological foundations of the course will be laid, and satirical texts ranging from anonymous pre-Petrine stories to English-style magazines and comedies such as Kapnist's "Jabeda" will be considered. The second part will examine works by V. Nareznyj, A. Pushkin, N. Gogol', and finally Ostrovskij who have highlighted, now with good-natured irony, now with bitterness, all the distortions of the bureaucratic and judicial machinery of the old regime. The final part will follow the more complex reflections carried out on the eve of the liberal reform of 1864 in the work of A. Suchovo-Kobylin "Delo" and, after it, in the works of F. Dostoevskij ("The Karamazov brothers", "Diary of a writer "), L. Tolstoy ("Resurrection "), A. Chekhov, Short stories and Tales.
Prerequisites for admission
The course is held in Italian and partially in Russian, with reading of texts only in Russian. The syllabus presupposes solid knowledge of Russian language, literary history, and critical terminology. Therefore it is suitable only for the students who have already completed a three-year course with Russian as A or B language.
Teaching methods
The course follows these teaching methods: class lessons; reading and explaining passages from the works in the program; possible presentations of individual readings made by students.
Teaching Resources
The course has a website on the Ariel online teaching platform (https://lrossilrlm.ariel.ctu.unimi.it/v5/home/Default.aspx) to which you are referred for the materials provided by the teacher as specified below.
Syllabus:
Parts 1 and 2
1) Introductory study: R. S. Wortman, The development of a Russian Legal Consciousness, 1976 (selected pages downloadable at the end of the course from the Ariel platform); 2) Textbook for the study of the history of Russian literature in English or Russian to be agreed. 3) Anthology of literary texts in Russian downloadable during the course from the Ariel platform. 4) Critical essays in Russian or other languages downloadable during the course from the Ariel platform or available in another form. 5) The notes of the lessons and the power point presentations by the teacher, available on the Ariel platform at the end of the course.
Part 3
1) Introductory study: G. Rosenshield, Western law, russian justice. Dostoevskij the Jury Trial and the Law,
Wisconsin, The University of Wisconsin Press, 2005 (selected pages downloadable at the end of the course from the Ariel platform).
2) Anthology of literary texts in Russian downloadable during the course from the Ariel platform. 3) Critical essays in Russian or other languages, downloadable during the course from the Ariel platform or available in another form. 4) The notes of the lessons and the power point presentations by the teacher, available on the Ariel platform at the end of the course; 5) One or more of the following literary texts, in Russian or in translation, or others to be agreed: F. Dostoevskij, Prestuplenie I narazanie; F. Dostoevskij, Brat'ja Karamazovy; L. Tolstoj, Voskresenie, A. Chekhov, rasskazy, povesti.
At the exam, in addition to demonstrating knowledge of the materials indicated, the students will illustrate the results of an individual investigation about one of the authors treated during the course, made on the basis of the full reading in russian or english of his literary work(s) and 2 essays (or a monograph) present in the general bibliography or chosen individually.
Addition for non-attending students
The program for attending and for non-attending students is the same but non-attending students will deliver the individual investigation in written form (essay of about 15 pages with footnotes and bibliography about an author chosen from those indicated in the program or on the basis of their interests, reading 3-5 critical studies; it must be sent to the teacher at least one week before the exam).
Syllabus:
Parts 1 and 2
1) Introductory study: R. S. Wortman, The development of a Russian Legal Consciousness, 1976 (selected pages downloadable at the end of the course from the Ariel platform); 2) Textbook for the study of the history of Russian literature in English or Russian to be agreed. 3) Anthology of literary texts in Russian downloadable during the course from the Ariel platform. 4) Critical essays in Russian or other languages downloadable during the course from the Ariel platform or available in another form. 5) The notes of the lessons and the power point presentations by the teacher, available on the Ariel platform at the end of the course.
Part 3
1) Introductory study: G. Rosenshield, Western law, russian justice. Dostoevskij the Jury Trial and the Law,
Wisconsin, The University of Wisconsin Press, 2005 (selected pages downloadable at the end of the course from the Ariel platform).
2) Anthology of literary texts in Russian downloadable during the course from the Ariel platform. 3) Critical essays in Russian or other languages, downloadable during the course from the Ariel platform or available in another form. 4) The notes of the lessons and the power point presentations by the teacher, available on the Ariel platform at the end of the course; 5) One or more of the following literary texts, in Russian or in translation, or others to be agreed: F. Dostoevskij, Prestuplenie I narazanie; F. Dostoevskij, Brat'ja Karamazovy; L. Tolstoj, Voskresenie, A. Chekhov, rasskazy, povesti.
At the exam, in addition to demonstrating knowledge of the materials indicated, the students will illustrate the results of an individual investigation about one of the authors treated during the course, made on the basis of the full reading in russian or english of his literary work(s) and 2 essays (or a monograph) present in the general bibliography or chosen individually.
Addition for non-attending students
The program for attending and for non-attending students is the same but non-attending students will deliver the individual investigation in written form (essay of about 15 pages with footnotes and bibliography about an author chosen from those indicated in the program or on the basis of their interests, reading 3-5 critical studies; it must be sent to the teacher at least one week before the exam).
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists of an individual interview, in Italian or in Russian, which includes questions asked by the teacher, interactions between teacher and student and discussion of the research prepared by the student with reference to literary and critical texts.
The interview lasts about 30 minutes. It aims to verify the knowledge of the texts read, the ability to contextualize authors and works, the ability of expression, the precision in the use of specific terminology, the ability to critically and personally reflect on the issues proposed.
The final mark is expressed in thirtieths, and the student has the right to reject it (in this case it will be recorded as "withdrawn").
International or Erasmus incoming students are invited to promptly contact the teacher.
The examination procedures for students with disabilities and / or with DSA must be agreed with the teacher, in agreement with the competent Office.
The interview lasts about 30 minutes. It aims to verify the knowledge of the texts read, the ability to contextualize authors and works, the ability of expression, the precision in the use of specific terminology, the ability to critically and personally reflect on the issues proposed.
The final mark is expressed in thirtieths, and the student has the right to reject it (in this case it will be recorded as "withdrawn").
International or Erasmus incoming students are invited to promptly contact the teacher.
The examination procedures for students with disabilities and / or with DSA must be agreed with the teacher, in agreement with the competent Office.
Unita' didattica A
L-LIN/21 - SLAVIC STUDIES - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B
L-LIN/21 - SLAVIC STUDIES - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica C
L-LIN/21 - SLAVIC STUDIES - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor(s)
Reception:
From 12th February 2025 in my room, or on Teams (Generale - Ricevimento studenti e laureandi prof. Laura Rossi <[email protected]>) on Wednesdays: 2 - 5 p.m. (Check my ARIEL pages for any temporary changes).
Piazza S. Alessandro, 1, Slavistics department, 2nd floor, office